Ash tray



April 1949- 'M. E. PHATUROS 2,467,405

ASH TRAY Filed March 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 19, 1949. P os2,467,405

ASH TRAY Filed March 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eig. 4

I i I IN VEN TOR.

Jflacy E. P/zafurod Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEASH TRAY Mary E. Phaturos, Akron, Ohio, assignor to James R. Dobson,Akron, Ohio Application March 18, 1946, Serial No. 655,174

4 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to a cigarette ash tray.

An object of the invention is to provide a cigarette or like ash trayhaving improved cigarette supporting means provided thereon by which alighted cigarette will be extinguished with a uniformly burnt end, andtherefore with a minimum of waste.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette or likesupporting device, as for ash trays, in which is provided improved meansfor firmly retaining a cigarette in supported position even though theash tray may be shifted, dropped or jarred.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette supportingdevice, including improved means for effectively choking a cigarettereceived in the same in a manner which reduces to a minimum the usualmoisture condensation along the portions of the cigarette contacting thesupport, and thereby reducing waste due to uneven burning of thecigarette if relit shortly after application to the support.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following briefdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an ash tray having incorporated thereinimproved cigarette supporting means embodying the features of theinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection of a cigarettesupporting element, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of an ash tray illustrating amodified form of cigarette supporting device.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary edge view, on an enlarged scale, of the ashtray shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially on the line66 of Figure 5.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 the numeral l designates anash tray having a bottom portion H and an annular rim l2. Integral withthe bottom ll may be a central upright portion [3 from which mayradially extend a plurality of relatively narrow elements or ribs I4, I,these ribs each having provided in the upper edge thereof at least onetransversely extending recess 15. The opposite sides of the recess l mayconverge inwardly, as best shown in Figure 2, the spaces between saidsides being relatively narrow as compared with the diameter of ciga- 2rettes of known types, whereby such cigarettes may be pressed into therecess against said opposite sides.

Integral with the element [4 may be inwardly oppositely projectingportions l6 and H, which are arranged to engage opposite sides of acigarette, pressed into the recess [5 as described, at points somewhatabove the center line of the cigarette, the spaces between theprojections I6 and I! being for this purposeslightly less than thediameter of the cigarette. The projections l6 and l! preferably arerounded as shown to prevent damage to the cigarette when it is insertedinto or removed from the recess [5.

The upper portion of recess l5 may be enlarged as indicated at l8 toprovide a rounded seat for supporting a cigar A, for example, which mayextend to recesses I!!! provided in the edge of rim l2.

In the use of the improved ash tray for supporting a cigarette B, thelatter is pressed by the finger into recess I5 to extend transversely ofrib or element M, as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 1, thecigarette in this inwardly pressed position being engaged or pressedalong opposite sides above the center line thereof. In this manner thelower portion of the cigarette is flattened against the converging sidesof the recess and is thoroughly choked to prevent passage of airtherethrough, so that the lit end of the cigarette upon burning up tothe adjacent face of the rib M will cease to burn further.

Even though the cigarette may extend from one side of rib M inunbalanced condition (see chaindotted lines in Figures 1 and 3) theprojections l6 and I! will effectively retain it firmly in extendedcondition, thereby obviating any tendency of a cigarette, whether lit ornot, to drop into the ashes which may have collected in the bottom ofthe ash tray.

Referring particularly to the modified form of the invention illustratedin Figures 4, 5 and 6, there is provided an ash tray 30 having anannular relatively narrow rim 3|, around the top.

edge of which may be a plurality of cigarette receiving and supportingrecesses 32. The recesses 32 may be shaped substantially like thecigarette receiving recesses l5 previously described, like portionstherefore being given like numerals with the sufiix a. Provided in thebottom of recesses 32, however, may be a transversely extending, roundedupward projection 33, which when a cigarette C is pressed into therecess 32 past'the projections Ilia and Ila, as shown in Figure 5, willserve to flatten opposite side portions of the cigarette against theoppositely converging sides of the recess. In this manner this passageof air through the cigarette will be choked off to a. maximum degree andmoisture due to condensation along the portion of the cigarettecontacting the edge portions of the supporting recess will be reduced toa minimum, with a consequent saving on cigarettes which are relit forsmoking before such moisture might otherwise have an opportunity toevaporate.

Other modifications of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ash tray support for cigarettes, comprising a relatively narrow,substantially nonresilient element provided with a recess into which acigarette may be pressed to extend transversely of said element, saidrecess being defined by spaced unyielding side portions of said element,said side portions having spaced rounded projections thereon betweenwhich the cigarette may be urged into the recess, the space between saidprojections being less than the diameter of the cigarette, saidprojections being positioned to be above the center of the cigarette inthe inwardly pressed position thereof and being adapted to hold thecigarette constrictingly pressed against said opposite side portions andwith the top of the cigarette above the top of the projections, theopening to said recess outwardly of said projections being free andunobstructed to permit-pressing the cigarette with a finger into fullconstrictive engagement with said opposite side portions.

2. An ash tray support for cigarettes. comprising a relatively narrow,substantially nonresilient element provided with a recess into which acigarette may be pressed to extend transversely of said element, saidrecess being defined by spaced unyieldingside portions of said element,said side portions having spaced rounded projections thereon betweenwhich the cigarette may be urged into the recess, the space between saidprojections being less than the diameter of the cigarette, saidprojections being positioned to be above the center of the cigarette inthe inwardly pressed position thereof and being adapted to hold thecigarette constrictingly pressed against said opposite side portions andwith the top of the cigarette above the top of the projections, theopening to said recess outwardly of said projections being free andunobstructed to permit pressing the cigarette with a finger into fullconstrictive engagement with said opposite side portions, the oppositefaces of said side portions converging inwardly in the direction awayfrom said "projections.

3. An ash tray support for cigarettes, comprising a relatively narrow,substantially nonresilient element provided with a recess into which acigarette may be pressed to extend transversely of said element, saidrecess being defined by spaced unyielding side portions of said element,said side portions having spaced rounded projections thereon betweenwhich the cigarette may be urged into the recess, the space betweensaid, projections being less than the diameter of the cigarette, saidprojections being positioned to be above the center of the cigarette inthe inwardly pressed position thereof and being adapted to hold thecigarette constrictingly pressed against said opposite side portions andwith the top of the cigarette above the top of the projections, theopening to said recess outwardly of said projections being free andunobstructed to permit pressing the cigarette with a finger into fullconstrictive engagement with said opposite side portions, the oppositefaces of said side portions converging inwardly in the direction awayfrom said projections, and an outward projection being positioned at theinner end of the recess to engage the cigarette in the inwardly pressedposition thereof to aid in spreading the same against said convergingsides of the recess.

4. An ash tray support for cigarettes, comprising a piece ofsubstantially non-resilient elongated material formed to provide arecess into which a cigarette may be pressed against opposed unyieldingside portions defining the recess to extend transversely of saidsupport, said support having thereon rounded projections to be atopposite sides of said recess and between which the cigarette may beurged into the recess, the space between said projections being lessthan the diameter of the cigarette, said projections being positioned tobe above the center of the cigarette and being engageable therewith tohold the same against said side portions and being adapted to hold thecigarette constrictingly pressed against said opposite side portions andwith the top of the cigarette above the top of the projections, theopening to said recess outwardly of said projections being free andunobstructed to permit pressing the cigarette with a finger into fullconstrictive engagement with said opposite side portions.

MARY E. PHA'I'UROS.

REFERENCE S CIT ED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,989,354 Fowler Jan. 29, 19352,279,026 Tomsic Apr. 7, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date175,943 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1922 386,862 Great Britain Jan. 26, 1933

